Algeria’s state energy conglomerate, Sonatrach, has announced that it has made six oil and gas discoveries in the first quarter of this year.

They have yielded more than 1.5 million cubic metres of gas as well as smaller amounts of oil.

Sonatrach made seven discoveries for the whole of last year.

It has also announced it will produce 200 million tons of oil equivalent this year, an amount not achieved since 2010.

And in faraway middle east, A unique bead made from pure gold and dated to at least 1,600 Years Ago was uncovered at the sifting project at the Archaeological Experience in the Emek Tzurim National Park, Jerusalem.

The Bead Was Found In Dirt Removed From A Grandiose Roman Structure Discovered In The Pilgrimage Road Excavation.

It was created using a unique technique that required delicate workmanship to affix tens of tiny balls together in the shape of a ring in order to create one small bead.

Dr. Amir Golani, an ancient jewelry expert at the Israel Antiquities Authority points out that the bead, which survived unscathed, is probably only a small part of a necklace or bracelet that included additional beads.

The find holds distinctive importance due to the lack of gold items found in archaeological excavations, and because beads of this style are not common, due to the unique and complex technique used to create them.

The technique most probably originates from the region of Mesopotamia, where it was known from approximately 4500 years ago.

Similar beads have been discovered in burial caves from 2500 years ago (end of the First Temple period) in Ketef Hinnom near the City of David, during excavations carried out by Professor Gabriel Barkay, but even those beads were made from silver.

To This Day, Only A Few Dozen Gold Beads Have Been Found In Israel.

Kenyan President William Ruto and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame, braved a rainy morning as they toured Rwanda Institute of Conservation Agriculture (RICA) in Bugesera District.

The state-of-the-art university located between two lakes, Kirimbi and Gaharwa sits on an area of 1,300 hectares with a number of buildings and fields used to offer hands-on skills to students in modern agriculture and research.

Established In 2019 By The American Philanthropist Howard G. Buffet In Collaboration With The Rwandan Government, it now hosts 3 cohorts of 84 students each with the first one to graduate in August 2023.

In a three-year program, RICA students earn a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Agriculture, with specialization in Animal Production or Crop Production, Mechanization and Food Processing.

In addition to that, they are also taught about business, management, entrepreneurship and communication.

Both presidents and their delegation toured around different facilities at the university including the laboratory and a Post-Harvest Handling Facility, as well shown how drone technology is used in driving modern farming at the school.

Richard Ferguson, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Extension and Research, RICA, explained to the two heads-of-states that agriculture is critical in Rwanda but productivity is not at its best level.

Agriculture employs the majority of Rwanda’s working population, formally or informally, yet it has struggled over different seasons in 2022 due to climate change that brought about longer dry spells and heavy rainfalls, thus derailing the expected production.

The beneficiaries of the Osun Easter free train service provided by the south-west Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, have commended the governor noting the Free train service have eased their movement despite the scarcity of fund occasion as a result of naira crunch.

The gesture is the first edition of the ride since the governor’s assumption of office.

The holidaymakers noted that the provided security for the train service ensures smooth and hitch-free trips during the trip from Lagos to Osogbo.

Beneficiaries of the free ride lauded Governor Ademola Adeleke for the gesture and stressed that it enable them to celebrate Easter with their families.

They charged other states to emulate the gesture which believed will encourage people to travel home for festival celebrations.

Speaking, the Coordinating Director of the State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Kehinde Odediran attributed the successes recorded so far to the high sense of passion and love the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke has for the masses.

The African Development Bank Group plans to invest $10 billion over the next five years to boost Africa’s efforts to end hunger and become a primary food provider for itself and the rest of the world.

This is coming from Bank Group President, Akinwumi Adesina at the Dakar 2 Africa Food Summit in Diam-nia-dio, east of the Senegalese capital of Dakar.

Also at the summit, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria said countries must offer more robust support for farmers, dedicate a chunk of the national budget to agriculture, and motivate youth and women to farm.

The Nigerian president commended Dr Adesina and the African Development Bank for rolling out special agro-industrial processing zones across the continent, including in Nigeria.

During the three-day summit, private sector players committed to national food and agriculture delivery compacts, to drive policies, create structural reforms, and attract private sector investment.

South Africa’s electricity minister has visited Tshwane, the municipality that includes the capital, Pretoria, after seven pylons collapsed on Sunday evening.

Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink said there was a strong possibility that criminal vandalism was to blame.

Power Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa met with Brink and other city authorities on Tuesday.

The mayor tweeted that he agreed to “work with us as we seek to restore power as speedily as possible”